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Sunday, March 31, 2013

from The Publisher's Monthly Newsletter (advertisement), THE ETUDE MUSIC MAGAZINE -- September 1930

Lieutenant Commander John Philip Sousa, U.S.N., is a remarkable example of the persistence
of youthful freshness of ideas in musical creative work. To his long string of successful marches Mr.
Sousa has recently added three new numbers, all of remarkable distinction. Outstanding among these is the “Royal Welch
Fusiliers.” This March was written in
recognition of the friendship fostered between the United States Marine Corps
and the British Regiment of Welch Fusiliers during the Boxer War in China. During this present summer Mr. Sousa has
conducted this march in London in the presence of a distinguished gathering
including Royalty. We believe this is
the best march written since “Semper Fidelis.”

Another new march
is “The Salvation Army March.” This was
written for the recent Jubilee Gathering of the Salvation Army in New York
City. It was played by all of the
combined bands. The original
instrumentation was for the all brass combination usually found among Salvation
Army Bands; but it also has a complete scoring.
This march includes in its middle section the hymn “O Boundless
Salvation.”

The most recent
of the three marches is the “Harmonica Wizard.”
This is a jaunty, lilting march in six-eight time. The old two step, by the way, seems to be
coming back. This march was written for
the celebrated Harmonica Band in Philadelphia conducted by Mr. Albert Hoxie,
and for all harmonica players all over the United States.

All of these
marches are published for piano solo, for full band, and for orchestra. In addition there is a fine four hand
arrangement of the “Royal Welch Fusiliers.”

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

“When
I read Homer I look at myself to see if I am not twenty feet in height,” said
Michael Angelo.

We
often think that great music has a corresponding effect upon its hearers.Who can hear the thrilling Beethoven “Fifth
Symphony,” the Chopin Sonatas, The Brahms “First Symphony,” the Verdi “Requiem,”
without experiencing that peculiar sensation of being exalted to spiritual and
even physical altitudes, which rarely seems to come through any other source.

The
stirring strains of a fine band have a similar psychological effect.Watch a crowd of Americans as they listen to
a body of skilled players marching down the street to the music of Sousa’s “Stars
and Stripes Forever,” “Semper Fidelis,” or his recent march triumph, “Power and
Glory.”Watch them throw back their
shoulders.Watch the rich red blood come
to their cheeks.Watch their chests expand.Life has a new purpose, a new vision.The sense of integrity, of patriotism, of
valor, of honor is exalted.They actually
seem to grow taller, happier, stronger, more alert, and in every way finer
human beings.

We
know from interminable demonstrations by psychologists and educators that music
properly studied makes for better citizenship.That is one of the reasons why The Etude Music Magazine has circulated
over twenty-five million times its forceful slogan,